Final Word from Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Criticism of the handling by the Fiala government of the natural-gas crisis must be accompanied by praise for its handling of the refugee crisis. That's the tactic chosen yesterday on Czech TV by Pres. Jaroslav Hanák of the Confederation of Industry, who dispensed the praise quickly and then proceeded to cut Industry Min. Jozef Síkela down to size. Síkela and other politicians don't realize how serious the situation is for industry, Hanák said, and the 10-point decree on restricting gas use is vague about which companies would be cut off. Síkela is a bit self-centered and isn't communicating with us, he added. Yet if you listen carefully to what Hanák said and read his recent press release, you see that the Confederation agrees with the policy of not paying in rubles and knows that very few companies would be able to find an alternative source of fuel if the gas stopped flowing. What Hanák is really looking for is a government handout. That's what's behind this new industrial revolution. [ Czech Republic Television Transportation ]
Glossary of difficult words
to dispense - to distribute or provide;
to cut someone down to size - to criticize someone in an attempt to deflate his or her ego;
handout - a quantity of financial or other material aid given to a person or organization.